So this week we get to talk about MORE SOF, the trip to the lake, and Con. Can I just say how much I appreciate Rae's reactions to things? She's great
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I don't know how you expect coherence when this section is so exciting! I always appreciate how Con can be less murderous and certainly the closest thing we'll get to a "good" vampire, and that it still doesn't necessarily follow that he wants to be human or even integrate into human society. Especially that it goes even further than glamour-powers-means-never-having-to-learn-social-skills: he's really just not that interested in what humans are like.
I do always wonder why Rae says "I'm not going to tell you" instead of implying that there was no second prisoner while she was there, because it's not terribly implausible that these vampires would have done this type of kidnapping thing more than once if that was what they were into? (I mean, I guess she can't because of SPOILERS at the end that would make it very awkward for her if she'd gone with that story, but still.)
Yes! Con totally throws the "good vampire" stereotype to the wolves - he just doesn't care about humans or human society. I like Rae's phrasing, "he'd shown a little enlightened self-interest about me" - it's perfect. He's a vampire, and it's really obvious when he shows up in her bedroom (which I also like for being exactly the sort of thing vampires are known to do and simultaneously nothing like we'd expect).
I think at that point - she may have gotten better at lying but she still doesn't like to do it, especially to those she considers friends? Also vampires are not really being known for kidnapping people, Pat and Jesse probably would have been skeptical.
Very true! You know, I'd forgotten that he says he showed up already, but let her sleep. I know Meyer was totally not responding to any kind of pre-existing vampire literature and Sunshine was published first, but it really does feel like the anti-Twilight that Sunshine is so clear that even if Con did nothing and meant no harm and is, under some circumstances, welcome in Rae's house, that behaviour is creepy as shit.
I still feel that at this point Rae could probably get away with an awful lot of "how the hell should I know what vampires do, clearly they do kidnap people sometimes! They didn't explain themselves to me!" but you're probably right that she is trying to lie as little as possible here. Especially because I suppose at this point she is still thinking that it would be rather nice if SOF did find and dispose of Bo et al., even if she doesn't really have any confidence that they'll be able to do so.
The fact that Sunshine is basically the best anti-Twilight ever and was published several years before Twilight ever came out both amuses and frustrates me - because Twilight is hugely popular and Sunshine has a much smaller following than it deserves. But I do agree than him showing up at all (even though she did kind of invite him) is super creepy and she acknowledges the fact.
Rae could get away with a lot wrt SOF and vampires - she's the only person known to have survived an encounter with them that lasted that long, anyway, but I think another part of it is that she manifestly wants nothing to do with any of it, and that if, for example, the goddess of pain (who is so fascinating to me, I want to know everything about her angle, but we should talk about that later, after she's finally showed up in person) got hold of her, she wouldn't ever escape from SOF. She'd be called in all the time to consult about vampires, so I think her having as little knowledge as possible here is the best move.
I love the whole creepy healing deal. It feels visceral in a way that a lot of fantasy magic doesn't, like it's convincing enough that my brain goes 'alright, yes, if you kill a doe and pour the blood over a poisoned wound it will cure everything. I believe this.'
The whole thing with the cherry tarts is just frustrating, though. It's February and I won't be able to gorge myself on cherries for months yet, but I can almost taste sweet tart cherries in a buttery crust. Augh.
Rae's reactions are great. She has this dry little line in the last section that I forgot to comment on, about how driving a car with intermittent third gear was entertaining, and I snorted out loud. So perfect.
The creepy healing thing is super convincing (even though it's never really explained in the text) because Rae's like, "Oh, it's a vampire thing, of course it has a lot of blood in it." There is just. . . a lot of blood in this book, like, I'm so glad it's a novel and not a movie, because I love the book but I would not be able to see the movie. To borrow a phrase from Rae, all that gore gives me the whim-whams (I love her phrasing).
FRESH FRUIT TARTS, WHY MUST YOU TAUNT ME SO. Every time I reread this book I go on a baking spree - the only reason I'm not in the kitchen making cookies right now is because I'm stuck at an airport instead. :(
Her dry little asides are part of what makes this book so great! I . . . would not have the patience to drive the Wreck, but I acknowledge that as a lack of fortitude on my own part.
I am usually pretty good with blood and I'd still probably end up watching most of a Sunshine movie through my fingers, because exploded vampire chunks. The other reason I am very glad Sunshine is a novel is there is no way any movie could get the vampires' movements sufficiently wrong to be convincing.
I made cinnamon rolls the other day, which were not quite as big as my head, but still delicious. Of course, instead of lessening my Sunshine I inspired cinnamon roll lust, now I want more. Sigh. I hope you escape the airport and return to your kitchen soon! :)
This is true, and I'm of the opinion that I'd rather it just never get made into a movie - it's such a good book, and I want more people to know about and appreciate it! But I'm afraid that Hollywood would ruin it (bets on them playing up the "romance" angle of the whole thing?).
I need to make cinnamon rolls - I might cheat and just make cinnamon swirl bread instead, though. Hopefully I will escape the airport and return to my kitchen at some point today. *heavy sigh*
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I do always wonder why Rae says "I'm not going to tell you" instead of implying that there was no second prisoner while she was there, because it's not terribly implausible that these vampires would have done this type of kidnapping thing more than once if that was what they were into? (I mean, I guess she can't because of SPOILERS at the end that would make it very awkward for her if she'd gone with that story, but still.)
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I think at that point - she may have gotten better at lying but she still doesn't like to do it, especially to those she considers friends? Also vampires are not really being known for kidnapping people, Pat and Jesse probably would have been skeptical.
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I still feel that at this point Rae could probably get away with an awful lot of "how the hell should I know what vampires do, clearly they do kidnap people sometimes! They didn't explain themselves to me!" but you're probably right that she is trying to lie as little as possible here. Especially because I suppose at this point she is still thinking that it would be rather nice if SOF did find and dispose of Bo et al., even if she doesn't really have any confidence that they'll be able to do so.
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Rae could get away with a lot wrt SOF and vampires - she's the only person known to have survived an encounter with them that lasted that long, anyway, but I think another part of it is that she manifestly wants nothing to do with any of it, and that if, for example, the goddess of pain (who is so fascinating to me, I want to know everything about her angle, but we should talk about that later, after she's finally showed up in person) got hold of her, she wouldn't ever escape from SOF. She'd be called in all the time to consult about vampires, so I think her having as little knowledge as possible here is the best move.
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The whole thing with the cherry tarts is just frustrating, though. It's February and I won't be able to gorge myself on cherries for months yet, but I can almost taste sweet tart cherries in a buttery crust. Augh.
Rae's reactions are great. She has this dry little line in the last section that I forgot to comment on, about how driving a car with intermittent third gear was entertaining, and I snorted out loud. So perfect.
Reply
FRESH FRUIT TARTS, WHY MUST YOU TAUNT ME SO. Every time I reread this book I go on a baking spree - the only reason I'm not in the kitchen making cookies right now is because I'm stuck at an airport instead. :(
Her dry little asides are part of what makes this book so great! I . . . would not have the patience to drive the Wreck, but I acknowledge that as a lack of fortitude on my own part.
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I made cinnamon rolls the other day, which were not quite as big as my head, but still delicious. Of course, instead of lessening my Sunshine I inspired cinnamon roll lust, now I want more. Sigh. I hope you escape the airport and return to your kitchen soon! :)
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I need to make cinnamon rolls - I might cheat and just make cinnamon swirl bread instead, though. Hopefully I will escape the airport and return to my kitchen at some point today. *heavy sigh*
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